It’s not unusual for some cheerleaders to wrestle with negative thoughts that can undermine performance.  This is a topic I’ve written about many times before.  Here is another way to manage and transform negative thinking. 

Tip # 1 - Change a thought into a feeling.  This is the reverse of what is usually suggested.  Like many psychologists, I have told you that the way you feel is dependent on the way you think so if you don’t like what you are feeling change the thought! 

This is still true but here I am suggesting that when you are thinking something negative such as, “I am no good at tumbling,” change it to: “I feel like I am no good at tumbling.” By doing this you can give yourself room to step back and see that this does not necessarily represent the truth…it is a feeling, not a fact. 

So, try to get into the habit of identifying your negative thoughts and changing them from “I think” or “I am” into “I feel that…” 

Tip #2 - Add a “but” to your feeling statement.  When you say the word “but” as in, “I really like cheerleading but it’s a lot of work,” the “but” negates what came before it; it calls into question the truth of the first part of the sentence. 

You can use this to your advantage.  For example, you can say, “I feel like I’m no good at tumbling but I am working hard each day to get better.”  The “but” in this case weakens the first part of the statement. 

These may seem like small things but language can exert a powerful influence on how our brains and bodies work.  Try it and let me know how it works for you! 

By the way - it’s competition season!  Are you interested in gaining a competitive edge?  Check out my training program - The Mental Game of Cheerleading: Training for Competitions.  I will give a free consultation to anyone who purchases a program. Get yours now!

Inside Cheerleading Magazine hosted a special meet and greet session with Olympic Gold medalist Shawn Johnson on Saturday at Cheersport.  News spread quickly that Shawn was going to appear at the Inside Cheerleading (IC) booth and soon there was a long line of eager fans waiting to meet Shawn and get her autograph.

Big news is that Shawn is joining the writing staff at IC!  She will  have her own column called, “Shawn Says” beginning with the next issue! Don’t miss it - subscribe now!  (And you’ll be able to see my column, too - Minda Games!)

Here’s a glimpse of the long line of Shawn Johnson fans waiting to meet the Olympic champ!

Imagine about 850 cheerleading teams gathered in one place!  Add to that parents, extended family, friends, coaches, and vendors and you end up with a HUGE segment of humanity assembled in the Georgia World congress Center in Atlanta for Cheersport’s annual national competition.

This was too good to pass up so I made my way to Atlanta last week (February 5 - 7) to immerse myself in the world of cheerleading.

The Georgia World Congress Center is a mammoth structure which seems the size of a small city.  It has numerous levels and wings which made me wish I had a GPS to help me navigate its many nooks and crannies!

On Friday, February 5th, cheerleading teams arrived to assess the scene and to engage in practice sessions.  Many found the Cheer Mall to snap up some eye glitter or to try on Nfinity’s latest cheer shoe - the Phoenix.  Many experiemented with Core Athletics amazing products such as the Maeflyer, the stunt strap, or the Full Up machine.  The sense of excitement permeated the air as cheer teams anticipated the competitions to be held the next day, Saturday.

Friday night everyone headed over to the Georgia Dome for a special event - A Celebration of Hope and Cheer.  The evening was dedicated to the memory of cheerleader Hope Stout, who lost her battle with cancer in 2004, but whose legacy and spirit of giving remains strong through the March Forth with Hope Foundation. Cheersport staff led the audience in a cheer for HOPE in an attempt to break the world record for the largest group cheer (heretofore held by China).  The photo below shows the beginning of the program.

Helpng to kick off the weekend was Olympic Gold medalist Shawn Johnson who also was one of the judges in a So-You-Think-You-Can-Tumble contest.  Ms. Johnson was duly impressed with the professionalism and skill of the cheerleaders who participated in the event. Prior to the contest, a Special Needs Team performed for the big crowd who appreciated the team’s enthusiastic performance.  Ms. Johnson gave each team member a plaque to commemorate the event.

The evening ended with hundreds of cheerleaders performing the newly famous “Pants on the Ground” dance…(”pants on the ground…looking like a fool with your pants on the gorund.”) See the dancers below.

The grand finale was the explosion of confetti which showered on the crowd.

 

 

A cheerleading competition has much to offer.  There are, of course, the performances of the cheerleaders (most important!) but then there are the vendors and special guests, too.  Here are three images from the Rhode Island Convention Center from the weekend of January 30 - 31st.

The first photo is Norma Pimenta, author of the book - Smiling Eyes - A Cheerleading Coach’s Personal Victory. Norma’s book tells the tale of her recovery from a tragic accident and how being a cheer coach helped inspire her to move forward with grace and courage. You can get Norma’s book from Amazon or from her site

That handsome fellow below is James Kersey, Cheerleading Brand Manager for Nfinity shoes, showing off their newest cheerleading shoe, the Phoenix!

The T-shirt below was on display at a vendor’s booth.  As I was taking the picture, two cheerleaders walked past, noticed the shirt and said they had to get one for their mothers.  Yes, cheerleading can be expensive but loving parents are willing to make the invesment!

Champion athletes know that winning is the science of being totally prepared.  For cheerleaders who want to ace a competition, here is a technique called the Enders Practice Routine. 

It’s based on a psychological learning theory called classical conditioning. The technique helps you to train your mind and body to respond in the way you wish. Each time you practice this you will be building the brain you want. 

Here’s how it works. You begin with a relaxation exercise and then you say your “power word” to yourself to connect yourself to your ideal performance state. And then you begin to practice. 

(A power word is a word or phrase that connects to the way you want to feel during competition.  It should be meaningful to you. It can be something like “focused,” or “confident” or “doing it” - whatever works for you.) 

Let’s say you are working on your tumbling; you would exhale slowly, call up your power word, and when you feel really focused, then and only then, begin to practice. As soon as you feel yourself getting distracted, stop everything! Then go back to your breathing, get focused using your power word, and then resume practice. Repeat. 

Each time you get distracted, stop and repeat the breathing, power word, and focusing. You only rehearse or practice while you are in this positive mental space. This way, you are training yourself to only perform while you are in this ideal state and when you reach the actual performance situation, you’ll be in great shape! 

Obviously this requires patience on your part.  The temptation will be to rush ahead and just practice in the same old way but please - give this a try and you will reap the benefits! 

ENDERS PRACTICE ROUTINE  

1. Begin with relaxation exercise - exhale slowly several times

2. Once relaxed, connect with your Ideal Performance State

3. Say power word/phrase to yourself

4. Once firmly in “positive space” begin to practice

5. As soon as you notice you are leaving positive space, STOP EVERYTHING, then re-connect with positive space.

6. Once firmly in positive space again, repeat power word/phrase and resume your work.

7. Practice ONLY in positive space.

8. Important to strengthen association between positive space and practice.

9. At time of performance, exhale slowly three times and repeat power word/phrase to get back into positive space.

You say you want to place first at your cheerleading competition? How hard are you willing to work for it? 

Successful athletes are single-minded in their focus and have crystal clear goals and expectations. This clarity helps them keep track of their progress and ensures they will reach their goals. 

Since I assume you, too, want to be a successful athlete, here are some questions for you to help you organize your thoughts and create a winning plan. Remember - the more specific and detailed your plan, the better it will help you succeed. 

And yes, this takes a bit of time and patience but a true champion is willing to do the work in order to win! 

1. Can you envision your cheerleading goal? Can you describe it in detail? Good! Go ahead and write it in here and be specific! 

2. What are the benefits or rewards you will gain by pursuing your goal?

3. What are the costs? (Such as time, money, forgoing other activities.)

4. What might get in your way? What challenges might you encounter?

5. How can you deal with these challenges? Who might help?

6. What specific steps do you need to take to reach your goal? 

7. How will you be accountable? Who else will know if you follow through with your plan?

8. In the space below, write in the times during a typical week that you will devote to working on your goal. Include time for practice with your team and alone  

Mondays:___________________________________________________

Tuesdays:___________________________________________________

Wednesdays:________________________________________________

Thursdays:__________________________________________________

Fridays:____________________________________________________

Week-ends:_________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

To succeed at cheerleading competitions, you need to think and act like a champion. 

The best cheerleaders are willing to evaluate every aspect of their performance.  A champion does so in an objective way, almost as if he or she is observing someone else in order to gain information. The more you learn about yourself the more information you have that will enable you to improve your performance. 

Performance Questions: 

Take a few moments and think about your current level of performance. Answer the following questions as honestly and fully as you can. If you are unsure how to respond, leave blank and return to this later on.  

• 1. What’s working well for you now?
• 2. How can you make it even better?
• 3. What’s not working well for you now?
• 4. If you were performing at your absolute best, what would be different about that compared to how you perform now?
•  5. What would you look like and feel like if you were performing at your absolute best?
•  6.What are your thoughts when you are performing at your absolute best?
•  7. What are your thoughts when you are not performing well? 

Very good!  Thanks for answering these questions. You are beginning to get to know your performing-self better - an important first step in becoming a better performer!

Cheerleaders, cheer coaches, and cheer parents - are you looking for a last minute Christmas gift?  This may be just the gift you’re looking for!

To celebrate the holiday season,  I am offering each of my training programs for $20 less than the normal investment of $67. That’s right…instead of $67, you only pay $47! (Please note: when you click on the info about the products, the price will say “$67″ but the price on the order page will reflect the holiday discount.)

And – as an extra special bonus, I will offer a complimentary telephone coaching session to anyone who invests in either of these programs! Simply let me know you have purchased a program and we will arrange a time to talk about anything related to the mental game of cheerleading!

This special offer is good until December 31, 2009!

Here are the 2 programs:

The first program is The Mental Game of Cheerleading: Training for Competitions. This is a comprehensive step-by-step mental skills training program to maximize success in cheerleading competitions.

This 2-CD audio program plus 40-page Action Guide provide you with everything you need to break through barriers, immediately improve concentration, eliminate distractions, and transform your performance.

This program will change forever the way you practice and prepare for competitions. For more information please go to the Products section of this blog or http://www.confidentcheerleading.com/competitions/.

The other program is The Mental Game of Competition: Training for Tryouts! This is a complete mental skills training system that will maximize your success on tryout day. It is a 2-CD audio program plus a 54 page Action Guide loaded with practical information and worksheets - all designed to help you get on the team you want!

Please see the Products page on this blog or go to http://confidentcheerleading.com/competitions/Tryouts-Product.html 

Everyone wants to place first in a cheerleading competition, of course, but only one team will place first in a given category. How do you handle coming in second or third or…last?

I have heard from some people who attend many competitions, that they have witnessed poor sportsmanship at cheerleading competitions. They have seen things such as: parents who scream at the judges; coaches who have a “hissy fit,” and entire teams who refuse to show up for the awards ceremony because they did not place first.

For a sport which prides itself on instilling positive values, this behavior is simply unacceptable!

What might prompt such behavior? Here are some thoughts:

1. Some coaches/parents/cheerleaders may believe the judges were unfair in their assessment. Is it possible that a judge might be biased? Or course it’s possible but judges pride themselves on being fair. Plus, judges see things that other observers do not. And the reason there is more than one judge is to prevent bias from entering into the decision.

2. Some cheer gyms attract new students based on winning championships so there is a lot riding on winning.

3. Cheer coaches work hard and typically get paid very little; their “pay” is the delight in winning and when that does not happen, it hurts which can lead to a dramatic expression of their unhappiness.

4. Parents devote a good chunk of money plus time and love into their kids’ cheerleading efforts. They want to see results which, to some, mean winning! Also, some parents may live through their kids a bit too much!

5. Some parents are, frankly, over-protective of their kids. They are reluctant to allow their kids to “fail” at anything.

6. Some kids have never experienced not winning. In a misguided attempt to “build self esteem,” parents and some schools provide an atmosphere which makes it impossible for a child to not succeed. Instead of winners and losers, everyone is deemed a winner. Don’t think the kids don’t know the score! They see right through it and end up feeling worse. This flies in the face of reality and is ultimately not helpful to anyone.

What are your thoughts on this topic? Please write and voice your opinions. And stay tuned for my next post with more on this subject.

Cheerleaders, like all athletes, need mental toughness to succeed. The phrase “mental toughness” however, seems to lack precision and clarity.  I have written about mental toughness many times in this blog and I recently came across an article in Coach and Athletic Director Magazine (May 2006) which I thought you might find interesting.

The article offers a definition of mental toughness: “Mental toughness is having the natural or developed psychological edge that enables you to:

• Generally cope better than your opponents with the many demands (competition, training, and lifestyle) that sport places on a performer.

• Specifically, be more consistent and better than your opponents in remaining determined, focused, confident, and in control under pressure.

(This is from an article from the Journal of Applied Sport Psychology, written by G. Jones, S. Hanton, and D. Connaughton.)

In 2006 two other  researchers conducted a study among 22 NCAA coaches. The data showed that the following components were fundamental to the definition of mental toughness:

1. Having an unshakable self-belief in the unique qualities and abilities that make you better than your opponents.

2. Strength: You have to be in good physical and mental condition.  You must be psychologically and emotionally prepared.

3. Having an unshakable self-belief in your ability to achieve your competition goals.

4. Have conviction: You have to be a little bit stubborn.

5. Regaining psychological control following unexpected, uncontrollable events (competition specific).

6. Have a strong will to succeed: Don’t let setbacks stop you from achieving your goal.

7. Remaining fully focused on the task at hand in the face of competition-specific distractions.

8. Be consistent: Recognize and adjust to change so that you are always able to make a contribution to your team.

9.  Not being adversely affected by others’ good and bad performances.

10. Be competitive: It’s not just about beating your opponent.  You have to internalize competitiveness and take pride in what you do.

11. Switching a sport focus on and off as required.

12. Personal management: Don’t duck potential problems; take on the problems directly to prevent small problems from building into bigger problems.

13. Thriving on the pressure of competition.     

14. Take the right approach: Always be ready to play.

15. Accepting that competition anxiety is inevitable and knowing that you can cope with it.

16. Have passion for what you do.

17. Having an insatiable desire and internalized motives to succeed.

18. Bouncing back from performance setbacks as a result of increased determination to succeed.

19. Remaining fully focused in the face of personal life distractions.

20. Pushing back the boundaries of physical and emotional pain, while still maintaining technique and effort under distress (in training and competition).

 What do you think?  Do you think you have these qualities?  Do you think they are relevant for cheerleading?